Again, Easter affected my free time, and so I've had to take a hiatus from posting for a while. Nonetheless, I am back with a look inspired by Easter and the upcoming beautiful weather. But, for personality's sake, I had to include a little metallic.
Because today was a beautiful, warm day, I mixed leather and classics and colours to create this look.
Today, musical legend Kurt Cobain flooded my newsfeeds, and I took inspiration from the grunge icon to create a modern, edgy/punk look. Combining a pop of colour, black, denim, leather and studs, I created a casual look I would definitely rock.
“The use of natural materials and being eco-conscious has always been a preoccupation of mine,” explains Sylvia Cohen, a Concordia graduate who recently started her own signature company. Her simplistic collections are environmentally friendly, as the young designer favours the use of eco-fabrics like organic cotton, bamboo, tencil, and silk in her garments.
Cohen’s first collection came justafter graduating from Concordia with degrees in both Visual Arts and Fashion Design. “My experience at Concordia was great. These were the best years of my student life,” she explains. “I started with a BFA in Visual Arts, my first passion! Then I went back to study Fashion Design, which had always been a great interest. I chose to study fashion at Concordia rather than other fashion schools, because I thought the approach was smarter and more relevant to the real fashion industry. There was more content and less fluff.” Eco-friendly designs have always been important to her, but Cohen found that environmental awareness in fashion was less important to her employers. “I tried to convince previous employers to use eco-fabrics, but price and availability made it difficult to remain profitable,” she said. So, she decided to start her own company that would highlight the use of environmentally-friendly materials. Her label is now based in Montreal, she has a sales office in Toronto, and all of her designs are made and produced in Canada. “The esthetic of my brand is laid back, avant guard chic, feminine but not girly,” she says, describing the designs as “fluid shapes that enhance the body while always comfortable.” The wearability of her garments is a key component to her collection, along with her use of colour. The autumn/winter 2012 collection deliberately employs classic and neutral tones to pay homage to the earth as our natural creator. But, to add a unique flare to the collection, “volume is created through fabric manipulation, pleat work and mixed media. Delicate surfaces, lace and flashes of leather and sequins are blended with soft jerseys.” And, in standard Cohen fashion, all of the clothes are made with a perfect symmetry and balance, and with organic fabrics. Like many artists, Cohen finds inspiration in everything she does. Life itself provides inspiration for her garments and collections, with everyday things and extraordinary things alike finding their way into her brain and sticking with her through the creative process of designing her clothing. “I find inspiration on the street, on the internet, couture runways, movies, [and] blogs,” she says. Her designs reflect the every day woman in the sense that they are ready-to-wear for many occasions, but also reflect a woman who is environmentally conscious, body conscious and style conscious. “Highly functional, yet effortlessly edgy, wardrobe items include feminine tops and asymmetric dresses in body skimming jerseys and silks. A combination of soft and hard result in pieces made to be worn.” For example, the most recent Sylvia Cohen collection, for autumn/winter 2012 , is “inspired by organic shapes and 90' minimalism, the collection is influenced by Japanese design with an urban edge.” “My clientele is a confident woman who likes to stand out in a quiet way, and who appreciates quality and sustainability,” explains Cohen. Her maturity extends far beyond her youth, in both her business presentation and her designs. “Finding the balance between fabric, form and advocating pure style while maintaining a sense of wellbeing is the delicate motivation behind the Sylvia Cohen collections.” And, in terms of her future, she hopes to continue to bring her environmentally friendly and fashionable label to even greater successes. In 5 years, she says, “I hope to find the right customers for my products and possibly the right partners to help with distribution and financing.” With a style that ranges from edgy to sporty, Cohen’s experience at LaSalle College, at Concordia, and at previous fashion labels have helped to shape her current collections. “Part risk taker and part carefree spirit, she illustrates a duality where sharp and constructed meets soft and graceful to create a unique aesthetic.” Inspiration catches her with every day, catering to her creative process and the ultimate development of a final product that appeals to every woman. She creates “clothes to feel free and comfortable in while creating a visual impact.” Because I decided, hey, why not, might as well have a look of the day too! Today I was inspired by the occasionally sunny, occasionally cloudy weather in Montreal. So, I mixed some bright colours with some black, and added in an acid wash jean with metallics just for fun! Enjoy!
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